Learning how to build muscle is a rocky road which most people find difficult to navigate. While science has shown us great advancements in training like high intensity interval training it isn't all good news - there has been countless nonsense over the years, and the majority of people get lost.
Despite the huge strides forward we have taken in the fitness industry, if you harbor dreams of building cold, hard, lean muscle you would do very well to return to the basic fundamental rules of size and strength.
This consists of:
1. Lift with compound moves as a priority.
Exercises such as the lat pulldown, bench press, squat and lunge remain key figureheads in any size and strength routine.
Any compound exercise will recruit more muscle fibers than an isolation move, therefore you'll gain more size over a shorter period of time.
2. Aim for the hypertrophy zone.
While high rep training has it's own benefits, you should be aiming for the 8-12 range if your goal is muscular hypertrophy. This is backed up by years of key studies from medical research studies carried out on the subject.
Now that you know the optimal rep range, try using it to determine whether you were previously lifting too light or even going too heavy on certain exercises.
3. Change your program as you progress.
Consistency is the worst mistake made on the gym floor.
That may sound strange, but consistently lifting the same weight over and over will not see you hit new results. As your body begins to adapt to an exercise, you will need to push it harder than before to see new results. Therefore, make increasing your lifts an absolute priority.
4. Don't forget to sleep.
Muscles are broken down and torn in the gym. They don't start rebuilding until you recover after your workout has ended.
Neglecting to go to bed at a decent hour is one of the top reasons why most men find it hard to develop a bigger body. Eight to ten hours is the optimal time to aim for. Less than this and you are asking for problems.
Imagine trying to build on a plot where the foundations were not yet set. Your construction would be constantly falling down again, that's exactly what you're doing to your body by not allowing rest.
The importance of diet is just one of the five rules touched upon in the video guide on how to build muscle accompanying today's article.
If your goal to learn how to build muscle has so far proved fruitless, these tips will help. It is a very common trait in the fitness industry to over complicate matters and go overboard with unnecessary scientific jargon, as you will easily see by looking for tips on high intensity interval training or drop-set techniques. But these proven principles are simple, yet time-tested.
